One Love, One Heart
by TheMusicalPoet
Summary: Picks up after JE. Rose and her new Doctor face the challenge of building a life together in the parallel universe. Guilt imprisons their happiness, and the original Doctor keeps getting pulled back. T for now, M in later chapters. REVIEWS ARE LOVE!
1. Going Home

SUMMARY: Picks up after JE. Rose and her new Doctor face the challenge of building a life together in the parallel universe. Guilt imprisons their happiness, and the original Doctor keeps getting pulled back. REVIEWS ARE LOVE! Rose/10.5, with bits of 10 and Jack.  
RATING: T for now. M in later chapters.  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Doctor Who characters. I am only borrowing them for a romp down FanFic Lane.

* * *

In what might have been silence, save for the crashing of the waves, Rose and her new Doctor stood staring at one another. This was a new beginning; a symbol of real Doctor's promise. But in her mind, she knew he was a copy. Even as they stood there, she missed the sounds of the TARDIS and the distant thrills of anticipation before being whisked off to a new world. This "Doctor"—so much the same and yet so different—who was he? She wondered how things would be; if he would be her perfect lover, or more like a child who would follow her around listlessly. She was, in those immediate moments, a bundle of nerves fraught with sadness.

The Doctor held her gaze with transfixion. He was trying desperately to read her expression. In all his cleverness, he could easily imagine all of the things that Rose was feeling, justifiably so, and it scared him. He was more scared than he could have ever imagined. Here, in this parallel universe, there was no way out. There was no TARDIS. No chance of adventure to pass the time. No escape.

It's not that he felt he wanted to escape. He wanted to run and laugh and leap for joy, for there he was on a beach in Norway standing with the love of his life; his long, long life. And yet everything was so new. His mind, his feelings, his emotions, they all felt impossibly new. The skin on his bones felt new, and yet in his soul he felt the weight of age and time. It was so strange to possess memories that he could navigate in his mind, but which his senses did not relive. How odd to only _know_, for example, the smell of cinnamon, but to not be able to recall it with one's nose. But he was excited. Oh yes was he excited.

But there was Rose. His sweet, precious, funny Rose, staring at him with all the uncertainty in the universe.

The wind suddenly picked up, tousling their hair. The Doctor swallowed and Rose cast her gaze downward.

"Well then, come on you two!" shouted Jackie Tyler, just down the way. "I've gone and called us a cab. Should be here in twenty minutes or so. But then I don't imagine he understood a word I said, so we could well be here until tomorrow. Bleedin' Norway!"

"Yah, mum. We're comin'," Rose called. She looked back at the Doctor.

Suddenly a huge, familiar grin appeared on his face. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. "Right then! A whole lifetime with you, Rose Tyler." The way the "ler" in her name came out as a cheeky "lah" sound made the corners of her mouth turn up a little.

She took his hand in hers again and started to walk toward the road. After a few paces, his smile disappeared and he stopped. Rose looked at him questioningly, worry still clouding her eyes.

He spoke very seriously. "It's funny, travelling between universes. Always wanted to see you, knowing I never could. And here—There's something I—I suppose _we_ always wanted since…" The Doctor pulled her into a hug. It was different than those he could remember; new, yes, but with more meaning. She clung to him tightly. He bent so his mouth was by her ear and whispered, "It's gonna work out, Rose. We're gonna be fine."

"Come on, you lot!" Jackie shouted. "You don't want them to just leave us here!"

Rose stepped back, putting on a forced smiled. "Better not keep her waiting. Mum does like to be prompt or she'll take a boot to y'."

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I've got some learning to do. Get along with the family."

"Yah."

They walked together back to the road to wait for the cab.

* * *

In the cab, Jackie sat up front with the driver and Rose and the Doctor sat in the back."

"Where's home then?" asked the Doctor.

"London," Jackie answered. Rose stared out the window.

"How long's it take to get there?"

"Well we're heading to the airport. Should take more than two hours."

"Got money then, have you?"

"Pete will take care of us once we get there. He's done very well for himself here, you know. He was very supportive of us going off to find you. It's been a bit of an adjustment, but life here is good. Wouldn't you say so, Rose? Life is good."

"Fantastic," the Doctor said cheerily, stealing a glance at Rose. She merely sighed. His face went solemn. He picked up again. "Things pretty much the same there?"

"Mostly, yeah. We been living with Pete closer to the center of London. It's much closer to Torchwood, now that's where Rose works. It's a lovely home. Lovelier than—"

"Mum, would you just stop it?" Rose suddenly interjected. The Doctor stared right at her with a concerned expression. She let her chin hang slightly and her eyes conveyed annoyance. Jackie had turned around in her seat. "Sorry," she said finally.

The journey continued on in silence, with Rose sleeping off her fatigue whenever possible. The Doctor, feeling oddly youthful, wandered off to explore whenever opportunities presented themselves. After seeing everything—or at least remembering everything—to pass time in one place, so relatively unchanging and yet so new and fascinating, was going to be a delicious challenge. His imagination kept his spirits up.

A meal and a short flight later, the family arrived at the house in London. Pete came out to greet everyone. He stared at the Doctor in wonder.

"Hullo, Pete!" the Doctor said, extending his hand. Pete shook it gingerly and glanced at Jackie.

"I said I would explain it to you on the phone. Don't be rude!" Jackie chastised. The couple went off into the house.

Rose stood at the end of the walk staring off at the cab as it drove away. The Doctor joined her.

"I _am _glad you're here," she said quietly. "I just—"

"You don't need to finish that sentence."

She turned to him. "But you're—"

"The same."

"But he's—"

"I know." The Doctor closed his eyes, tightening his lips. "Just don't. It's—He's—"

"Still out there," Rose finished.

"But I am here." They stood in silence again for a moment, and then the Doctor said, setting a new tone, "Rose, would you like to go on a date with me." He slapped on his usual goofy grin that she loved so much. "It's not going to be like New Earth or anything, but it's a start."

Rose finally smiled. "Yah, Doctor. I think I would like that."

His grin grew wider as they turned to walk together into the house.

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More to come! Please R&R 3


	2. A Place To Stay

"All right then, Doctor," Jackie said as the Doctor stepped into the front entranceway. "There's a room you can stay in upstairs that's an office right now, or a little one in the basement off from the sitting room. It can get a bit noisy in there, what with the washer and dryer, but it's already made up. I'll bet the office is a bit warmer, but then we'll maybe have to move that junk downstairs." She turned towards the kitchen. "Pete, I think we'll have to move the desk and that out of the room upstairs. Pete! Where are you?" She turned back to the Doctor. "Now then, just hold on and I'll—"

"Jackie," the Doctor interrupted, looking bemused. "It's fine, I'll just take basement." He slapped on a closed-lipped smile.

"Oh," said Jackie, as her hands began to tidy. "Are you sure?" He nodded. "All right," she said before she busied herself piling up some loose papers.

The Doctor and Rose exchanged glances.

"Shopping!" exclaimed Jackie suddenly. "Doctor, you can't expect to go around in that one suit all the time. You need to go shopping. I bet Rose'll take you."

Rose looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, I could do that."

"Wait a minute!" the Doctor said, holding up one palm. "What's the matter with my suit?"

"It's a bit out o' date, don't you think?" said Jackie, as though pointing out a serious crime. "I mean, head to toe blue, eh? You don't see that much. No sense in drawing attention to ourselves what with Rose's workin' at Torchwood and all. Why I—"

"Mum," Rose started. "Please, don't go changin' 'im. Things are jus' fine."

The Doctor was surveying his outfit microscopically. "These clothes have stood the test of time," he said, half to himself. "And space."

"I don't know what it's like in Time Lord land," said Jackie, coming to a standstill with her hands on her hips, "but in human land, people start to sweat and stink and smell and all that. You know the way, Doctor. You can't tell me you don't!"

He stopped. "Ah, yes. Quite right. It's funny the things I guess I'll have to think about from now on." He sniffed his armpit. "Don't stink yet though," he said playfully, eyeing Jackie.

"Give it time," she retorted and went out of the room.

"Doctor," called Pete from the kitchen. He suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Is that what you want to be called now? You must have a proper name. What is it then? It'll matter for when you go to get registered. Blimey, how're you gonna do that?"

The Doctor smiled reassuringly, taking the opportunity to sit down on the sofa nearby. "Doctor is fine. And don't worry about the details on registering and that. I can figure that all out on my own. I'll have it taken care of by tomorrow night."

"All right. Doctor, then? Really? You must have something more formal."

The Doctor's smiled vanished and a dark expression fell across his face. "Please, for my sake, call me the Doctor. Or, if you prefer, John Smith. I'll be registered under that one."

"John Smith! That's even more suspicious than the Doctor, I'd say!" Pete eyed him. "Why so mysterious? Whose actual name is 'the Doctor'?"

"Dad!" Rose said warningly. "Just leave off it."

"Of course," said Pete with a sudden grin. "It's not like me to pry. What does a man own if he cannot own the rights to his proper name? Yes, John Smith it is."

The Doctor smiled thankfully. As Pete left, Rose sat down with the Doctor. He watched her face carefully as her eyes skimmed over his body. She wanted to touch his hands, his arms, his face, just to see…

"Do it," the Doctor said. "I don't bite," he added laughingly.

Rose let her hand touch his hand, feeling his soft skin, and the tiny soft hairs there. His face became intent. She felt the warmth of him, the muscles, and the strength in his arm as she ran her fingers over his sleeve. She traced her way over his shoulder to his jaw where she felt little bits of stubble starting to form. So human.

She stopped suddenly when she saw him wince. She moved back in the seat. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," he said, "not at all." He smiled. "Why do you think that?"

"You winced, is all."

"Oh, it's just a bit of a headache. Got to keep this new body hydrated, I guess."

"You want a glass of water?"

"I can get one while I'm out."

"It's just water," Rose said with mild disbelief.

"I think I just need some fresh air," he insisted as he stood up. "Shopping will do me good."

"You want me to come?" she said, suddenly not wanting him to go. Her emotions felt so muddled.

"I appreciate that," he said genuinely, "but I think I'll just go on alone and meet you back here later for our date. We're still on, right?"

Rose smiled. "Yeah, can't wait."

The Doctor sidled toward the door.

"Um, do you know where you're going?" Rose asked.

The Doctor peered out the front door. "Oddly enough, I do," he said lazily. He turned to look at her. "I'll be back before you know it."

She almost wanted him to kiss her. Her Doctor. Sort of.

"See you later," she said cheerily.

He flashed her a huge smile and went out the door. She stared off after him, her mind spinning with questions. It felt so much like being with him, and yet the real Doctor was out chasing stars and galaxies in a whole other universe. Wasn't this everything she wanted? Or was this all a bit too domestic for them?

Her mind was halted when she saw him stop and cringe down the way. His hands flew to his head as though he was in great pain. He kept walking and before she could think twice about it, he was out of sight.

It was unusual to be sure, but then there was nothing usual about their situation.

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More to come! REVIEWS ARE LOVE!


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